Rest-pause training is a technique that can intensify your regular training session, increase workout density, and let you get more done in a shorter time period. It breaks down one set into several mini-sets, with a short rest between each. Depending on the difficulty of the weight you choose and what youre using this method for, you can take one of two approaches. The first is geared more towards hypertrophy and involves failure training, while the second is one of the best ways out there to get you used to working with heavy weight, but does not call on you to train to failure.
Heres what a rest-pause set looks like:
- Perform as many reps as possible, stopping 1 rep shy of failure
- Rest 20 seconds
- Perform as many reps as possible again, stopping 1 rep shy of failure
- Rest 20 seconds
- Perform as many reps as possible, but this time don’t stop until you can’t complete the final attempted rep
The rest-pause method uses heavier weights (something you could lift 5–8 times in a single set) or lighter weights (something you could do 10–20 times in a single set) to elicit mechanical stress or metabolic stress, respectively.
Rest-pause training can help fatigue the muscle fibers and break through challenging strength and growth plateaus. To rest-pause, set a weight 80-85% of your 1-rep max, perform as many reps as you can until you reach failure with a 10- to 15-second rest between each ‘mini-set’, and continue after the rest pause (mini-set) sequence until you reach failure. Rest for 90 seconds between actual sets, and try to perform 3 working sets. For the more advanced, increase the weight by 10% .
To rest-pause for strength, set a weight 80-90% of your 1-rep max, perform 1 rep then rest, rest for 15 seconds, keep the weight the same, and repeat this process until you reach 3-5 reps. Advanced athletes may also benefit from reducing the amount of rest time in between each mini-set.
